Retcon speculation
A retcon (short for retroactive continuity) is a retroactive alteration in the official lore of a series of works of fiction. These changes can either be: :*additional backstory to explain and expand upon present circumstances, or :*historical facts which are rewritten and are meant to be taken as having always been that way. A large portion of the lore of the Warcraft universe would fall under the first meaning, since it was all developed around a relatively simple war between orcs and humans. This article deals with the second meaning of retcon, a retroactive change in the history or backstory. Some apparently conflicting lore is actually written as flavor lore, and was not necessarily intended to be accurate observations of what actually occurred, but rather competing beliefs held by inhabitants of the world of Azeroth. An example of this is the tauren belief that they were the first druids, which was definitely stated to be false in the Warcraft encyclopedia.http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=43884861&sid=1&pageNo=4 It is left to the reader's opinion whether the discrepancies listed below constitute errors, retcons, flavor lore, or merely artistic license. The criteria for inclusion in this article is a clear, apparent contradiction between two official sources. Where the sources are reconciled by another official source, that explanation is provided. For possible discrepancies in the lore for which two clearly contradictory sources can not be provided, and for theories which attempt to reconcile apparent contradictions, see Retcon speculation. Metzen on continuity Chris Metzen has emphasized the importance of ensuring continuity within the Warcraft universe: We're taking the process of building a world seriously and it wasn't just churned out. It had a strong sense of continuity. We've always tried to do that with our ancillary products like the D&D line and our novels. We are kind of painstakingly anal, about making sure all the details add up, that continuity is held to be sacred. So that no matter in what medium you are experiencing Warcraft it all feels like a contiguous experience. -Chris Metzen, World of Warcraft, Behind the Scenes DVD. Apparent discrepancies Cenarius' mother The War of the Ancients Trilogy describes Ysera as the mother of Cenarius, while other sources in the World of Warcraft, such as tauren mythology, suggest that Elune was his mother. This was later explained by the author of the trilogy, Richard A. Knaak: ''Elune birthed Cenarius, but gave him up to Malorne because Cenarius was more a creature of the mortal world and could not be with her. Malorne, who had relations with both Elune and Ysera, knew that he could not properly care for his son, but Ysera's love was so great for Malorne that she took Cenarius as her own. Hence being his mother (or adoptive mother). :-Source More recent sources appear to have established that Ysera was in fact ''not involved romantically with Malorne, and that rumors of the relationship were mortal interpretations of Cenarius's relationships with his father, Malorne, and teacher, Ysera.http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/encyclopedia/475.xml The draenei In the Warcraft III and World of Warcraft game manuals, the draenei are described as a pacifistic race of shamans, native to Draenor, who were easily slaughtered by the orcs prior to the opening of the Dark Portal. In The Burning Crusade, however, the draenei are in fact an offshoot of the eredar race, native to the planet Argus. These eredar fled Argus at the beginning of the Burning Crusade and exiled themselves on Draenor some twenty-five thousand years before the time period of the Warcraft games, during which time the Burning Legion hunted unceasingly for them. Upon their discovery, and the unleashing of the orcish Horde upon them, the Draenei, using the powers of the Holy Light, fought for eight years against the orcs before being defeated. The draenei playable race in the expansion is a previously-unseen refugee group of uncorrupted eredar who fled Draenor. The draenei that were previously seen in Warcraft III and World of Warcraft are explained as a subspecies, including the Broken and the Lost Ones, who had been mutated by fel energies. Garona's parentage In the Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual and The Last Guardian, Garona describes herself as being half orc and half human. In the novel The Last Guardian, she states that orcs see only "her human parts", while Medivh speculates that her homeworld must have had "humans or near humans." Blizzard Community Manager Caydiem stated on the official World of Warcraft forums that Garona is half orc and half draenei (another is Lantresor of the Blade). This has not yet been confirmed however. Horde Player's Guide, 2006, mentions that she is not half-draenei, and that if her other half is not human, it is something unknown. The book implies that actual half-draenei show draenei physical traits. The Holy Light In the description of Warcraft I units, the Clerics of Northshire are described as worshippers of God. This is followed in some of the later sources, such as Warcraft II and Day of the Dragon. By the time of Warcraft III they are shown as followers of the Holy Light, which is described as a non-theistic philosophy, although a reference to a single all powerful god-like being creating the universe is mentioned. For more info, see Retcon speculation. Magtheridon's death The death of Magtheridon has been revised in the Burning Crusade, though he was defeated. He is now imprisoned within Hellfire Citadel and you can visit him in the Magtheridon's Lair instance. Maiev's death According to a mission objective in The Frozen Throne a player had to slay Maiev and the other guardians guarding Illidan's cage to progress in the mission. This was adapted into several of the books for the Warcraft RPG where it said Maiev Shadowsong had died (see Alliance & Horde Compendium page 9, Shadows & Light page 51 and Alliance Player's Guide page 68). Here's the corresponding quote from Shadows & Light: Sinking into vengeful madness, Maiev pursued Illidan all the way to Outland. Emotion clouded her vision, and Illidan slipped away from her several times. Finally, when Maiev was all but blinded by frustration and vengeance, the Betrayer got the better of her. Maiev died alone on the red sand, unmourned, unsung, with none to remember her fall, her soul empty of all but rage. Since Maiev is confirmed to be Illidan's prisoner in the Warden's Cage, that statement is now null and void. It can be explained as flavor lore or a retcon. Rend and Maim Rend and Maim, the sons of Blackhand the Destroyer, led the Blacktooth Grin clan during the Second War, which was one of the clans placed in the internment camps. They next appeared without mention during the Alliance campaign of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, inexplicably on Draenor, in the service of Magtheridon. Rend appears in a prominent role as head of the Blackrock clan on Azeroth in World of Warcraft. Chris Metzen admitted that he forgot their appearance on Draenor, but they had no particular role there, the enemies were just two heroes called Rend and Maim. Sargeras and the eredar In the Warcraft II and World of Warcraft game manuals (and in Sargeras and the Betrayal from the History of Warcraft), the eredar are described as being a demonic and evil race that had consumed their own world through arcane powers, and had already destroyed countless other worlds by the time Sargeras discovered them. It was not until after Sargeras destroyed them that he himself became corrupted, and the Burning Legion was born. In''The Burning Crusade, however, the Burning Legion had already begun under Sargeras' leadership when he encountered the eredar, who became corrupt through his influence. Furthermore, a faction of the eredar did not join the Burning Legion, instead became followers of the Holy Light, and renamed themselves Draenei. Chris Metzen admitted the contradiction was a mistake in a forum post. Stormwind and Azeroth The human kingdom in the southern Eastern Kingdoms was referred to as ''Azeroth from Warcraft I to Warcraft III. In World of Warcraft, the name Stormwind is used for the kingdom, even in historical contexts, without any mention of its former name. The Alliance Player's Guide uses the name Azeroth for the kingdom in a historical context, and Stormwind for the modern kingdom. ''Warcraft I'' and II Warcraft I featured two separate storylines, although while there were some interweaving events most were stand alone, which lead to some contradictory elements. Some elements from each storyline were taken and included in the backstory for the next game in the series. In contrast Warcraft II evolved with two campaign stories that wove together in a tighter way, with references to missions from one campaign being mentioned in the events of the other campaign, although ending missions lead to alternate endings. The expansion was unique however in that it was a completely linear story; it set the Alliance campaign after the Orc campaign chronologically (though one could play the campaigns in any order). In contrast, Warcraft III featured campaigns with story lines which formed a single linear narrative that had to be unlocked as you beat each campaign. ''Warcraft I'' Warcraft I featured many levels which are best described as generic battles with some interweaving plot elements, and contradictory endings. While the orc campaign ending most closely matches the outcome of the First War as portrayed in later games, both campaigns contained important plot points that became part of the lore: *Stormwind Keep, Northshire Abbey, and all the human towns of the kingdom, including Goldshire, Moonbrook, Sunnyglade, and Grand Hamlet, were destroyed (orc campaign). *Blackhand was overthrown as warchief (orc campaign). *Medivh was killed in his tower by a raiding party (human campaign). *King Llane was assassinated by Garona (human campaign). *The rescue of Lothar from a 20-month imprisonment after obtaining the Tome of Divinity in the Deadmines (human campaign). Mentioned in Alliance Player's Guide. *The killing of Blackhand's daughter Griselda in the Deadmines (orc campaign). Confirmed in Rise of the Horde. Some elements of the game's plotlines were expressly left out of the ultimate account of the war: *King Llane was not killed at the fall of Stormwind by the orc warchief (orc campaign). *The humans did not succeed in destroying Blackrock Spire (human campaign). *The commander of the human armies did not succeed Llane as king after succeeding in destroying Blackrock Spire (human campaign). Other events are indeterminate, not conflicting with any other accounts, but also not being referred to again: *The destruction of the orc outpost of Kyross in the Swamp of Sorrows (human campaign). *The destruction of the Temple of the Damned in the Black Morass (human campaign). *The destruction of Rockard and Stonard (human campaign). ''Warcraft II'' However, Warcraft II featured two interweaving campaigns with two separate and alternate endings. The true ending was found in the Alliance campaign, with the nearly complete defeat of the Horde in the Eastern Kingdoms. The expansion took it further by making the campaigns linear, with Horde campaign taking place entirely before the Alliance campaign: *The high elves joined the Alliance following an attack on their archers passing through Tarren Mill (human campaign). *The Horde was driven from the Hillsbrad region and Khaz Modan *The nation of Alterac betrayed the Alliance of Lordaeron and was destroyed (human campaign). *The Runestone at Caer Darrow was captured by the Horde and used to create the ogre magi (orc campaign). *Gul'dan betrayed Orgrim Doomhammer and withdrew his forces in order to seek out the Tomb of Sargeras (orc campaign). *Dalaran was razed by the Horde (orc campaign). *The Alliance forces defeated the Horde at Blackrock Spire, then recaptured and attempted to destroy the Dark Portal (human campaign). *Lothar is betrayed, ambushed and killed by the Horde when invited to Blackrock Spire for a diplomatic parley. This was changed to Lothar dying in honorable single combat against Doomhammer during the Battle of Blackrock Spire. Although, Alliance player's guide 2006, still mentions that ambush still occurred and hints that foul play was involved, and the single combat wasn't as honorable as perceived (more than one against him). *After having been defeated by Doomhammer's forces at the Tomb of Sargeras in Warcraft II (orc campaign), Gul'dan is attacked by demons after he opens the Tomb (as forshadowed during a cutscene at the beginning of the acthttp://www.wowwiki.com/Image:Daemonreleased.jpg). In The Frozen Throne, it further shows that he was killed by the demons he unwittingly set free while searching the tomb. Events which occurred in one of the Warcraft II campaigns, but which did not ultimately form part of the lore, include: *Lordaeron did not fall to the Horde (orc campaign ending). Other events are indeterminate, not conflicting with any other accounts, but also not being referred to again: *The razing of Stratholme and Tyr's Hand by the Horde. Deathwing : see Deathwing timeline issue for details.